Airbnb is committed to driving tourism in Puerto Rico and supporting the host community

Airbnb and Puerto Rico have a strong history of working together to foster initiatives that drive economic growth through a robust, innovative tourism sector. With ongoing discussions regarding short-term rental regulations at all levels of the government, Airbnb is committed to continue collaborating as legislators gather robust input from all stakeholders involved.

Puerto Rico has a unique opportunity now to establish a fair and reasonable regulatory framework that is streamlined and empowers Puerto Ricans to share their homes, participate in tourism revenues, and help grow tourism and support industries, while reinvigorating local economies.

The host community in Puerto Rico contributes to a growing local tourism industry. In 2018 alone, over 5,000 Airbnb hosts on the island welcomed 386,500 guests. Airbnb connects travelers to 9,300 places to stay throughout the island including urban destinations such as San Juan, rural areas, and those traditionally less frequented by tourists. Typical Puerto Rican hosts earned $7,200 in 2018 by sharing their home, which is important income to help many families make ends meet.

The economic benefits of hosting also mean that the community is giving back and helping the country grow. To date, Airbnb has collected and remitted more than 5 million dollars in occupancy taxes to the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. These funds are reverted to destination promotion and the recovery of the island’s tourism industry.

Airbnb is committed to its partnership with Puerto Rico, and as part of its community service programs, has donated $200,000 travel credit to All Hands, All Hearts an NGO working to help restore the island post-hurricane, in addition to other recovery efforts.

We look forward to continuing a strong and collaborative relationship with Puerto Rico, based on our shared vision to grow the tourism sector, economically empower Puerto Ricans, and promote healthy travel that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive and sustainable.